Australian debt guide
What to do when a debt collector calls in Australia
By DebtReply · Sources checked
ASIC’s Moneysmart recommends keeping records of communications with debt collectors, including who contacted you and what was said. A call does not resolve an unclear account or amount. Verify the contact independently, record the reference and your questions, and ask for documents rather than guessing missing details.
What should I write down?
Moneysmart’s guidance recommends keeping contact records. Our contact log gives you space for the date, channel, person, company and summary. If the caller gives a reference, read it back and note whether it differs from earlier letters. Leave uncertain details blank rather than inventing them.
What could I ask during the call?
Prepare a short list: which original account is involved, what reference to use, which documents support the amount, and how to contact the organisation through a verified channel. These are information requests, not a promise to pay. If the claim is old, read the old-debt guide before deciding how to reply.
What if repeated contact is the concern?
The ACCC contact guidance explains reasonable purposes and contact limits. Keep the timeline factual and take it to a financial counsellor if you need help. A count of calls alone is not a complete assessment of a complaint.
What can I do next?
- Save your call notes.
- Compare them with any written demand.
- Write down unresolved questions.
- Use the proof letter to request records where needed.
- Keep any written reply with the original notes.
Example: write a useful call note
This is a note-taking example, not a recommended script for every call. A caller gives a company name, reference and claimed balance. In your record, separate those statements from anything you have verified. Write “the caller said” where appropriate. If you did not catch the name or reference, leave a gap and note the uncertainty rather than filling it from memory later.
Record any request you made, such as asking for information in writing, and what the caller said in response. Keep related texts or letters with the note. Moneysmart recommends recording the date, time, people, contact method and discussion. The DebtReply contact log organises these details but does not make an audio recording or send the record anywhere.
What the conduct guidance addresses
The ACCC explains that contact can have reasonable purposes, such as giving account information, discussing repayment or reviewing an agreed plan. It also identifies physical force, coercion, undue harassment and misleading conduct as unacceptable. Those distinctions matter when you explain a concern: describe the behaviour and context, not only the number shown in your call history.
For repeated contact, keep a chronological record. Distinguish an answered call, a missed call and a message if you know which occurred. Do not assume the log itself decides whether conduct breaks a rule. A financial counsellor can help you consider the next step using the details you have kept.
Turn the note into one next action
Read back your unanswered questions after the call. If you need the account history, prepare a proof request. If the concern is contact behaviour, keep the timeline for a discussion with a help service. If the claim is old, pause before making admissions or payment proposals and get advice. If court papers arrive, seek legal help promptly; ordinary correspondence does not replace a court response.
Put your next step into words
Use a free starting-point letter, then check that every detail fits your situation.
Write the letterCommon questions
Do I need to resolve everything on the first call?
Use your notes to identify what you still need to understand. Get advice if you are unsure what to say next.
Can the contact log judge whether calls are harassment?
No. It is a record-keeping tool, not a legal assessment.
Will the log be saved automatically?
No. Download it before leaving the page if you want to keep a copy.
Sources you can check
- Dealing with debt collectors ASIC Moneysmart · Checked 18 October 2026
- What debt collectors can and cannot do ACCC · Checked 18 October 2026
This guide explains a process. It has not been reviewed as advice for your situation. How we use sources.